Kwankwaso and Ganduje, end of romance

Okechukwu Jombo, writes that the romance between former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwakwaso, and his political godson, current Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has hit the rocks.

It is no longer news that the immediate-past governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has already chosen the path to follow even before 2019 election. The man who came second during the APC presidential primaries wants Buhari’s seat and has not pretended about it.
In other to actualise his dreams, he is already showing signs of disobedience to the party and its leadership. He beliefs he is better than the current president Muhammedu Buhari and can take over from him.
And because his action is not acceptable to some party faithful who belief he is not doing the right thing, he is facing suspension from the ruling APC.
He is being accused of organising a “violent rally” in the state while paying a condolence visit to the governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, over the death of his mother.
The Kano State APC chairman, Umar Doguwa, said Kwankwaso, a serving senator, had exhibited “acts of indiscipline which should not be allowed to go unpunished”.
He said the party’s leadership and elders had approved the constitution of a disciplinary committee to penalise Mr. Kwankwaso.
According to him, the condolence visit was deliberately turned to a violent rally to cause mayhem in the state, abuse the governor and President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The party and its leadership hierarchy, as enshrined in APC constitution, must be respected at all times by party members in respective of their position.
“The party leader today in Kano is nobody but Governor Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, who also must be respected by every person.
“The party would leave no stone unturned in ensuring discipline, orderliness and loyalty as prescribed by the constitution of the APC.
“Such case of party indiscipline committed by Senator Kwankwaso will be thoroughly investigated and dealt with in accordance with the constitution of the party,” Mr. Doguwa said.
The party chairman also alleged that the senator hired a crowd that crossed over the perimeter fence of the Kano airport and damaged some installations.
“When the hired crowd was denied access to the airport premises, they climbed over fences, breaking the iron barriers and destroying the Security scanners. All the pictures are available for confirmation.
“Also, the hired thugs were busy distributing presidential campaign posters, car stickers reading ‘Kwankwassiya 2019, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso for President, among others,” he said.
The APC chairman said when other dignitaries from all walks of life – including those from the opposition party – came to condole with the governor, none of them made their visits violent.
He said despite the fact that the funeral rites of the governor’s mother were conducted with decorum, humility, civility and decency in keeping with religious and cultural values of the people, Mr. Kwankwaso dishonoured the dead by holding a “violent rally”.
“During the senator’s visit, there was a violent rally and open show of thuggery as his supporters were seen openly wielding machetes, swords and other dangerous weapons,” he said.
Mr. Doguwa also said the party frowned at Mr. Kwankwaso’s supporters’ call for replacement of Mr. Buhari with Mr. Kwankwaso by 2019.
To which Kwankwaso, reacted saying the former governor refrained from visiting the state since May 29, 2015 when he handed over to Mr. Ganduje in order not to interfere with the state’s affairs.
According to the statement, Mr. Kwankwaso had given his successor “space and time to settle down and consolidate on Sen. Kwankwaso’s successful programmes and projects that resulted into 100% APC’s success in the 2014 local government and 2015 general elections respectively”.
The statement, signed by Mr. Kwankwaso’s aide, Yunusa Dangwani, also said the senator found it pertinent to visit his successor and condole with him over the death of his mother.
It said there had been close ties between Messrs. Kwankwaso and Ganduje, being his former deputy for eight years and also his former Special Adviser when Mr. Kwankwaso served as Minister of Defence.
The statement added that Mr. Kwankwaso also “deliberately gave short notice for the condolence visit, but was pleasantly surprised by the turnout of the good people of Kano who came to receive him at the Malam Aminu Kano Airport and escorted him to Ganduje village”.
The statement added that by the time Mr. Kwankwaso’s convoy arrived Ganduje town, they were surprised “that some local people brandished local weapons, not minding the sombre occasion. It is unfortunate that they could not be chided, thus we left them with their weapons at Ganduje”.
“It is therefore appalling and rather unfortunate that the good gesture of Sen. Kwankwaso has been mischievously interpreted wrongly.
“It is also disheartening that few hours after the death of our state Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Isa Ali Danmaraya, the government was busy coercing and misleading some party leadership into addressing a press conference that will only culminate in splitting the APC in Kano,” the statement said.
The statement further warned Mr. Ganduje to desist from dragging the name of President Muhammadu Buhari to cover for his administration’s “obvious weaknesses”.
Mr. Kwankwaso therefore urged the governor to “strive to concentrate on facing the enormous challenges of governance such that, perhaps, he may also be revered and respected by the good people of Kano State”.
It will be recalled that Kwankwaso who contested for the same presidential seat with the president was touted not to be a supporter of the president and therefore was seen as an opposing camp during the election which the president won finally.
The rift seem to be manifesting again within the party in Kano State with the governor choosing to part ways with him and join Buhari’s camp along side with the state party chieftains, leaving the Kwankwaso group with the party which he leads.
The group, made up of the common men and women of Kano State, are so large that the state governor knows the trouble he will face if he goes against him.
However, time shall tell were the pendulum will swing at the end of the day, but the fact is, the romance between Kwankwaso and Ganduje seems to have come to an end.